What's in your smoker?

[T.G]

From the other day.

[Dave128]

All that awesome looking food is making me hungry!

I may regret this question, but what the heck is a "naked fatty"?

[357]

A fatty is a sausage roll of some kind, made with loose ground sausage. Sometimes fatties are wrapped in bacon weaves. I'm guessing naked fatty would be an unwrapped sausage roll; at least in this thread.

[Dave128]

Thanks. That sounds AWESOME! Must be a Southern thing? As far as I know, there is nothing like that here in Upstate NY.

[357]

One variant called "Bacon Explosion" is a bacon weave wrapped fatty with mild or Italian sausage, stuffed with crispy bacon and seasoning. Once assembled you only have to smoke it for about 2 hours or you can do it in the oven. Ideally smoked, then popped into the oven on broil for 5 minutes to crisp up the bacon weave.

Recipe:
http://blog.bbqaddicts.com/recipes/bacon-explosion/

You slice it and often it's served on a bun.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Dave128

Thanks. That sounds AWESOME! Must be a Southern thing? As far as I know, there is nothing like that here in Upstate NY.

I think it's more of an internet phenomenon than a regional dish. Many years ago someone posted a step by step photographed guide to the making of what they called a "Bacon Explosion" - a fatty stuffed with cooked bacon and covered with a bacon weave. While it probably wasn't the first, it took the food sites by storm and made the entire smoked fatty thing just take off.

OLS even had a thread on here dedicated to them.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by 357

You slice it and often it's served on a bun.

Strange...mine never seem to make it to a bun

[T.G]

Yeah, typically I just eat them with a fork. Buns, must be a Northerner thing.

[Dave128]

I'm going to have to look around at my local butcher shops. I've never seen them in the grocery store.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Dave128

I'm going to have to look around at my local butcher shops. I've never seen them in the grocery store.

They aren't something you typically buy, they are something you make.

All you need is loose/bulk sausage and whatever the heck you want to stuff in them. Possibilities are endless.

You can find some ideas and assembly in Brad's old thread
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=31914

[357]

The site I linked to will ship them premade but it's not necessary. Make your own, tweak it, add what you want, then post pics for us. Or as Adam said, check out Brad's fatty thread. Lots of good ideas in there.

[Dave128]

Thanks, fellas.

[Stevez]

As far as fatties go, they are incredible. I only do very basic ones and the folks I cook them for eat them like crazy. I just get a package of the rolled sausage and add a little basic rub and then watch them go. Quick and delicious.

[Chainsaw13]

I make a cheeseburger/bacon fattie, using some high temp cheddar pressed into the beef before rolling. Turns out awesome. Cheese doesn't melt and is dispersed all throughout. Gonna have to make one when I get home.

[jonumberone]

Chickens look great, Adam.
How did you like cooking on the hooks?
Would you have been able to cook 6 birds on the drum without hanging them?
Did you fabricate your own hooks or order some?

Bob, I never thought about using high temp cheese.
My method has always been to use triple the cheese.
This way, as long as less than 2/3 leaks out, you're still ahead in the cheese department.

The Naked Fatty I posted was just a Jimmy Dean sausage log that I roll in some bbq rub.
I smoke it and finish with bbq sauce.
I usually slice it and have it with my breakfast for the week.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

I usually slice it and have it with my breakfast for the week.

It lasts that long? Not around my house!

[T.G]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Chickens look great, Adam.
How did you like cooking on the hooks?
Would you have been able to cook 6 birds on the drum without hanging them?
Did you fabricate your own hooks or order some?

Thanks Dom, appreciate it.

I like the hooks, I've always felt that vertically cooking a chicken is the ideal way to do it as it allows for a more even cooking without manipulating it and it allows the excess fat to drain. So when I saw the setup on your PBC, I knew I had to add them to at least one of my drums. I haven't gotten around to using them for other meats yet.

It's a 55 gal drum, so it uses the larger 22.5" weber grate, but I don't think it would have held 6 chickens on the grate ala beer can style. Probably only 4, maybe 5 with a shoehorn. I'd be concerned about how even they would cook at that point since they would be touching or almost touching and getting them out without dropping one or dumping the grate would be a concern.

Hooks came from PBC. $20 for 8 delivered is not even worth me considering making my own.

---
Just looked at PBC's accessory page, price on the hooks has gone up to $25.

[pnoon]

Well, thanks to Dom and Adam, I am now considering buying a PBC to complement my Traeger.

Can't decide whether I love you or hate you.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by pnoon

Well, thanks to Dom and Adam, I am now considering buying a PBC to complement my Traeger.

Can't decide whether I love you or hate you.

[jonumberone]

Originally Posted by pnoon

Well, thanks to Dom and Adam, I am now considering buying a PBC to complement my Traeger.

Can't decide whether I love you or hate you.

Be careful, buying new smokers and grills is apparently addicting.
Had I known this beforehand, there would still be room on my patio to sit.
If you do get one, I have little doubt you will love it.
It produces a much different flavor than the Traeger, if you're looking for a way to rationalize the purchase.